Five Score And Seven Years Ago is the fifth full-length album by the Christian rock band Relient K. It was released on March 6, 2007, and is the first full-length album by the band to feature bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck. It is also the first Relient K album released without longtime bassist Brian Pittman. Pittman did leave the band before the release of the album Mmhmm, but recorded most of tracks with the band.
According to lead singer, Matt Thiessen, the album was created with a "Five" theme, as it is their fifth album, and for the first time Relient K has five members on an album. The "Seven Years Ago" links with the fact that their first album was created seven years prior to the release of this album, making for five albums in seven years. It also ties in with the famous line, "Four score and seven years ago", delivered by Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln is addressed in the first track, "Plead The Fifth". A poster advertising a concert for the band around the album's release depicted a cartoon Abraham Lincoln on it as well.
The cover of the album depicts the five band members staring up in the sky from a sidewalk, and they are all wearing parkas. Jon Schneck stands behind Matt Thiessen, so there are four shadows crossing the shadow of the curb, creating five in tally marks. Capitol Records released a promotional image about a month before the album's release, and the band's manager announced that it was not the album cover. The official cover was confirmed on the Gotee Records website. The promo image showed five sticks made into tally marks, with seven leaves either on the sticks, or falling off of them. This image was on the back of the promo insert that advertised the new Relient K fan club that came with the CD.
A special edition of Five Score And Seven Years Ago was also released, including a bonus DVD with roughly thirty minutes of acoustic performances shot in the Capitol A Studios and including track-to-track interviews with the band. Also included is a making-of feature on the "Must Have Done Something Right" music video as well as the video itself, which was directed by Marc Webb (who produced videos for My Chemical Romance and The All-American Rejects). The album's cover also came with a special slip-cover that outlined the band members in orange drawings.
Five Score And Seven Years Ago debuted at number six on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 64,000 copies in its first week.
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0.
Up and Up (Acoustic Version) (Walmart exclusive bonus)
01.
Plead The Fifth
02.
Come Right Out And Say It
03.
I Need You
04.
The Best Thing
05.
Forgiven
06.
Must Have Done Something Right
07.
Give Until There's Nothing Left
08.
Devastation And Reform
09.
I'm Taking You With Me
10.
Faking My Own Suicide
11.
Crayons Can Melt On Us For All I Care
12.
Bite My Tongue
13.
Up And Up
14.
Deathbed (feat. Jon Foreman of Switchfoot)
28.
Sloop John B (iTunes exclusive bonus)
29.
Fallen Man (Acoustic Version) (Best Buy exclusive bonus)
30.
Devastation and Reform (Video)(Walmart exclusive bonus)
Relient K Has Done Something Right| Posted August 24, 2007
Relient K's latest album 'Five Score and Seven Years Ago' is easily Relient K's best. Relient K has become a complete band; no longer are they confined to silly songs like 'Hoopes I Did It Again', 'Mood Rings', or 'Sadie Hawkins Dance.' Now, they can play those songs, but also get in some serious ones, with the same passion as they have for the sillier songs. Of course, they had some serious songs before, namely 'Getting Into You', but since it was caught between so much frantic and crazy punk, they were almost afterthoughts.
What's most startling is the lack of well, punk, on this album. Only two songs qualify for complete punk, those being 'Come Right Out and Say It' and 'I'm Taking You With Me,' possibly the two weakest songs on the record; which does not really mean they're that bad. The other songs are pop done to the absolute best, such as 'Must Have Done Something Right,' 'The Best Thing,' and the expansive, even somewhat epic 'Up and Up.' Relient K also shows it more aggressive side with the intense rocker 'I Need You' (arguably Relient K's hardest song) and the infectious 'Devastation and Reform.'
Relient K also has more middle ground songs for the Christian radio like the excellent 'Forgiven' and the beautiful 'Give Until There's Nothing Left.' Relient K shows they have balance, skill, and great talent. No longer is the thinking, touching songs afterthoughts, they are everywhere, mixed in with the fun, the hard, and the silly.
Speaking of silly, don't worry, Relient K hasn't completely grown up (thankfully). The opening song, 'Plead the Fifth' is as unique as it is laughably cool. And the song 'Crayons Can Melt On Us For All We Care' is only a little more silly then its random song title (but far, far, shorter).
But this brings us to the last song; the pinnacle in my opinion. Its' almost as if Relient K takes all that they've done and brought into one, perfect, masterpiece of a song. The eleven minute 'Deathbed' is unbelievable. Its epic, its hilarious, its tear jerking, its descriptive, its catchy, and most of all, powerful. The song, chronicling an old man's life, from birth to death, is Relient K's finest. The conclusion, which includes Jon Foreman (from a little band called 'Switchfoot') as the voice of Jesus just leaves you still and quiet. You're blown away. Relient K didn't take the easy route of making a 'mom song' and just making it all sentimental, or making it foolishly cool. They just make it perfect. Just perfect. Relient K is proving they are masterful artists...and they just keep giving, giving, giving...and if this album is any indication, it seems they have a lot of left to give.
Great| Posted August 23, 2007
uh my brother got me this cd 4 my b-day and i was impressed on how big the change was the lyrics we juss out there very good cd
Relient K| Posted August 22, 2007
I love this album! It has a lot of awesome songs on it. Relient K has really grown since their first record and I think Five Score and Seven Years Ago is good proof of that.
fanatastic| Posted August 22, 2007
this cd is absolutely amazing. the lyrics were great. this cd has helped me in different situations because the songs really do apply to real life. at the same time these songs are still, like all
relient k, lots of fun.
Four Score And Five Years Ago| Posted August 22, 2007
this cd had more of a spiritual twist rather than relient k's tongue in cheek lyrics..this was an awsome cd...show how relient k has improved musically, but id rather have the funny relient k
Reliant k| Posted August 22, 2007
i like this cd i think most of the songs are pretty cool and my favorite song on this cd is crayons can melt on us for all i care
Relient K- 5 Score and 7 Years Ago| Posted August 21, 2007
A really awesome CD, one of their best that they've come up with for years. I love how they mixed up their different sounds, including some silly, catchy stuff that's more like their old style, and some newer, harder sounds. I especially love how they added some really unique stuff, like the first song, which is only Matt's voice doing all of the music, and the last song, Deathbed, which is almost 12 minutes long, is beautiful and interesting the whole way through. So, overall, an amazing album.
amazing| Posted August 21, 2007
relient k just doesn't stop.with every release they get better and you can tell with this cd.pick it up if you get the change.
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